TEACHING

Peg is currently teaching her Color Interactions class two or three quarters each year at North Seattle College - Continuing Education Department. The next class is planned for Fall 2016.

Color Interactions Course Description: What makes colors change, disappear, vibrate? Learn how and why colors interact in this hands-on class. Using Johannes Itten’s theory, some Josef Albers’ exercises and themed studies, learn to anticipate and solve color challenges and expand your color choices. Class uses Coloraid (a palette of 314 silkscreened papers) for direct exploration of color effects. Applicable to all media, all experience levels. Class is non-credit, 7 weeks long, 2.5 hours per class, 6:30 – 9 pm. Weeknight choice varies.

ARTIST STATEMENT

The patterns, colors and behaviors of birds provide rich and endless inspiration for my paintings, which walk an ambiguous line between real and abstract. Patterned and textured, these birds inhabit environments as detailed, textured and colorful as they are, inviting new discoveries as the viewer draws closer. The birds tell their own stories but are also allegories for human behavior and characteristics, from curiosity to courtship, from making music and dance to metaphysical meditation. Some are serious, others quizzical or humorous. Each painting develops a life and unique narrative of its own, which the viewer is invited to observe and interpret.

This series of paintings is a natural evolution from my varied background in weaving tapestries, creating textile prints and surface designs for industry, and exploring both realistic and abstract painting in various media over many years.

Gouache (opaque watercolor) on paper has wonderful color intensity and allows for clean, crisp lines. The flat, matte surface of gouache enhances the abstract spatial qualities and embraces the painted fabric-like textures.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

I have been weaving tapestries, creating surface designs for products, and painting for more than 35 years. Initially I immersed myself in the exploration of tapestry weaving, working at that full-time for 12+ years. I created more than 100 tapestries during this time and gained national recognition for my impressionistic landscapes and bold, rich colors. I exhibited in several solo and group shows from New Mexico to Washington D.C. to Seattle, Wash., and also created several commissions for private clients, Percent for Art projects in Washington and for corporations across the country (see Exhibit List).

My next exploration evolved from an opportunity to create textile print designs and paint colorways for the fashion industry. That led to creating surface designs for various industries and products ranging from diapers to sheets, paper plates to shower curtains, car carpets to patio glasses, and more. I also learned to paint botanicals using drypoint watercolor, and experimented with painting people using soft pastels and continued creating impressionistic landscapes and abstracts in mixed media over several years.

Since 2012 I have been working on a series of gouache paintings on paper (Avian Allegories) which explore the avian and human condition with strong color, design, intricate detail, and humor. These paintings bring together the many threads of my art experiences.

Teaching was my initial career choice and has been a continual part of my art experiences. I taught occasional classes in Seattle and workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada for several years in Tapestry, Color and Design, and currently teach Color through North Seattle College.